Wonderland Burlesque's
Down The Rabbit Hole:
The Kessler Twins
Today, we take a look at the Kessler Twins.
Alice and Ellen Kessler, usually credited as the Kessler Twins, are German twin sisters who entertained the world, singing, dancing, and acting. Appearing in films and on numerous television programs throughout their lengthy career, they were popular in Europe, especially Germany and Italy, during the 1950s and 1960s.
The sisters enjoyed a significant degree of popularity in the US as well, making their American television debut on the CBS variety show The Red Skelton Hour and appearing on a number of national television programs including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Danny Kaye Show. They also appeared in the 1963 film Sodom and Gomorrah as dancers and were featured on the cover of Life Magazine that same year.
The girls began ballet classes at the age of six, joining the Leipzig Opera's child ballet program at age 11. When the twins were 18, their parents used a visitor's visa for the family to escape from East Germany.
Arriving in Düsseldorf, the sisters performed at the Palladium before moving on to Paris. Between 1955 and 1960, they performed at The Lido in Paris. There they met American singer Elvis Presley, who was on leave from the army. The twins represented West Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959, finishing in 8th place with Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n (Tonight We Want to go Dancing).
From 1955 to 1964, they appeared in over a dozen films, primarily produced in Germany and Italy.
In 1960, the twins moved to Italy, where they became incredibly popular due to their frequent appearances on the television variety show Studio Uno.
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Alice and Ellen Kessler, usually credited as the Kessler Twins, are German twin sisters who entertained the world, singing, dancing, and acting. Appearing in films and on numerous television programs throughout their lengthy career, they were popular in Europe, especially Germany and Italy, during the 1950s and 1960s.The sisters enjoyed a significant degree of popularity in the US as well, making their American television debut on the CBS variety show The Red Skelton Hour and appearing on a number of national television programs including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Danny Kaye Show. They also appeared in the 1963 film Sodom and Gomorrah as dancers and were featured on the cover of Life Magazine that same year.
The girls began ballet classes at the age of six, joining the Leipzig Opera's child ballet program at age 11. When the twins were 18, their parents used a visitor's visa for the family to escape from East Germany.
Arriving in Düsseldorf, the sisters performed at the Palladium before moving on to Paris. Between 1955 and 1960, they performed at The Lido in Paris. There they met American singer Elvis Presley, who was on leave from the army. The twins represented West Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959, finishing in 8th place with Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n (Tonight We Want to go Dancing).
From 1955 to 1964, they appeared in over a dozen films, primarily produced in Germany and Italy. In 1960, the twins moved to Italy, where they became incredibly popular due to their frequent appearances on the television variety show Studio Uno.
The Kesslers rebuffed the advances of various prominent American actors, including Elvis Presley. An exception was a brief liaison between Ellen and Burt Lancaster, later chronicled in 1996 for the German Stern magazine.
At the age of 40, they agreed to pose on the cover of the Italian edition of Playboy. The issue became the fastest-selling Italian Playboy to that date.
The Kessler twins returned to Germany in 1986, living in Grünwald, Bavaria and continued to make the occasional television appearance. They have received awards from both the German and Italian governments for promoting German-Italian cooperation through their work in show business.
At the age of 40, they agreed to pose on the cover of the Italian edition of Playboy. The issue became the fastest-selling Italian Playboy to that date.
The Kessler twins returned to Germany in 1986, living in Grünwald, Bavaria and continued to make the occasional television appearance. They have received awards from both the German and Italian governments for promoting German-Italian cooperation through their work in show business.
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Das Posthaus Im Schwarzwald - The Kessler Twins
(1958)
Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n
(Tonight We Want to go Dancing)
The Kessler Twins
1959
Sunday Boy - The Kessler Twins
(1961)
Bons Baisers a Bientot (Kisses & Farewells) - The Kessler Twins
(1961)
Quando, Quando - The Kessler Twins
(1963)
On How To Be Lovely - The Kessler Twins
(1964)
The Best Is To Come - The Kessler Twins
(1964)
Boy From Ipanema - The Kessler Twins
(1967)
Da-Ba Da-Ba Dab - The Kessler Twins
(1967)
Mas Que Nada/The Look Of Love - The Kessler Twins
(1970)
The Look Of Love - The Kessler Twins
(1975)
New York, New York - The Kessler Twins
(1983)
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